Methacrylate esters are polymerized to make polymethyl methacrylate acrylic plastic homopolymers, and can also polymerize with other monomers to form copolymers useful as acrylic sheets, molding compounds, resins and latexes for use in coatings, adhesives, waxes, polishes, and thermosetting automotive/appliance enamels. Historically, methacrylate ester monomers have been made from certain petroleum-derived compounds. However, such petroleum-derived monomers are frequently expensive because of fluctuations in the pricing and availability of petroleum, and are increasingly likely to remain so as petroleum reserves are reduced and new supplies prove more costly and difficult to secure. Further, in the context of methacrylate ester production, the use of hydrogen cyanide and the production of large amounts of ammonium sulfate by-product have raised concerns for process safety and byproduct disposal.
For example, methacrylic acid is currently produced via acetone cyanohydration. Acetone is directly tied to the production of phenol in the cumene process and is a petroleum based product. When phenol is not being produced, acetone is not being produced. Because its production is tied to the availability of other chemicals, the production of methacrylic acid fluctuates and creates potential instability, which hampers industries that utilize methacrylic acid.
These issues along with concerns over greenhouse gas emissions and consumer demand for more environmentally friendly products have sparked a shift from production of chemicals derived from petroleum sources to chemicals derived from sustainable materials, particularly biobased materials. However, challenges exist in the development of biobased materials, including: 1) adequate supply of starting materials; 2) competitive production processes; and 3) industry acceptance of a reduced number of alternatives. Despite these challenges, there is a need and desire for commercially suitable biobased chemicals. Specifically, the UV/EB curable industry stands to benefit from the availability of such materials.
Moreover, conventional methods of preparing biobased industrial chemicals have required complex processes having multiple steps, which increases both the time and cost of obtaining such materials. For example, the production of biobased 1,3-propanediol—an organic compound which has numerous uses across multiple industries—requires at least the following process steps: microfiltration and ultrafiltration, ion exchange, flash evaporation, and distillation. Accordingly, there remains a need for efficient and cost-effective processes, which produce high yields of biobased industrial chemicals. Embodiments of the present invention are designed to provide a solution to the above-described problems.